The European Association for Banking and Financial History (eabh) e.V.

Conference

Money in Africa

Monetary and financial decolonisation in Africa in the 20th Century

9 Oct 2017 at 1:45pm

Lisbon, Portugal

eabh in cooperation with Banco de Portugal and Banque de France

Monetary and fiscal processes are important elements in state building and in managing international economic relations for emerging economies and new states. These processes were also important during the transition to constitutional independence in Africa; however little attention has been paid to the trajectory of the monetary and fiscal processes of decolonisation in Africa. The topic is less researched than the political or socio-cultural decolonisation processes. However, it has had important implications for the economic development of these states.

The objective of this conference is to shed light on a range of different historical cross-experiences. It will provide a comparative analysis of the Portuguese, French, British, Belgian, Spanish, Italian and German cases of colonial transition in monetary and financial matters.

Programme

13.30-14.15

MONDAY 9th October 2017

Welcome coffee

14.15-14.30

Welcome

Carlos da Silva Costa (Governor - Banco de Portugal)

Carmen Hofmann (Secretary General - eabh)

14.30-15.00

Keynote speech: Lessons from the monetary decolonisation of the British Empire
Catherine Schenk (University of Oxford)

15.00-15.15

The history of the monetary decolonisation: a bird’s eye view
Olivier Feiertag (Normandy University)

15.15-16.45

First Session: Facing the course of history: national experiences of colonial monetary zones

Moderator: Maria João Azevedo (Banco de Portugal)

The Banque de France and the creation of the Franc Zone (1944-1952). Continuation of the colonial pact or turning point of monetary decolonisation?
François de Coustin (Banque de France)

The escudo area in Africa and optimum currency areas
Maria Eugénia Mata (Universidade Nova de Lisboa)

Banque du Congo Belge to Belgolaise: the evolution to its demise of a colonial bank
Adrian E. Tschoegl (The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania)

16.45-17.00

Coffee Break

17.00-18.30

Second Session: Ruptures and continuities: monetary transition from colonial to post-colonial times